Kandidatuppsatser / Globala studier
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Item Socialt kapital i en digitaliserad värld: En kvalitativ studie av studenters upplevelser av ens sociala situation i samband med distansstudier i coronapandemi(2025-09-08) Sagstad, Lars; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThe covid-19 pandemic had a huge effect across the world. Countries responded to it in many different ways and the changes played out multiple times, many of the changes have led to changes still seen after the pandemic officially ceased to exist as a global emergency. In Sweden, a country deemed fit to handle the crisis well, most of the work and studies moved from the physical place of offices and schools to being done from home through various digital platforms. Students at the universities, often seeing the social part of the university experience as important, had to limit their social activities to various degrees. Not only was this a big change in how they performed their daily work, but also affecting their life in general. Since the pandemic is still very new, the subject is a hot topic to research and analyse, this paper will contribute to that research. The purpose of this study is to examine how social capital was affected among university students during remote learning in the COVID-19 pandemic. This has been completed through a qualitative study by interviewing students who themselves have experienced studying at university during the time of the covid-19 pandemic. The empirical data is analysed with a take on digital competence and social science theory, more specific social capital. The result of the study has shown that students that endured online studies whilst at university during the pandemic experienced the quality of their studies as lower compared to being physically present at school. The digital tools used were not challenging enough to be developing their skill in that area. The students’ social situation changed drastically, from living social lives filled with activities, to having less encounters with other people and loosing friends along the way. Individual and collective social capital lessened with the individuals not participating in social activities and acting in their social networks to the same extent as before the pandemic.Item Kroppar i otakt: En antropologisk studie om ADHD och vardagens temporalitet i Sverige(2025-09-08) Harouky, Carolin; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierDenna studie analyserar hur vuxna med ADHD i Sverige upplever och hanterar tid i ett samhälle där punktlighet och effektivitet utgör normer för vad det innebär att fungera. Studien bygger på tre månaders etnografiskt fältarbete vid föreningen Attention Göteborg och omfattar deltagande observation samt semistrukturerade intervjuer. Med temporalitet som analytisk lins undersöks hur tid tar form genom levda erfarenheter, förhandlingar och vardagliga praktiker. Resultatet visar hur tidshantering formas både emotionellt och kroppsligt av kulturella samhälleliga normer. Genom Pierre Bourdieus begrepp habitus analyseras hur inlärda sätt att förhålla sig till tid formas av tidigare erfarenheter och sociala sammanhang. Mikka Nielsens begrepp desynkronisering och namngivning av lidande samt Sue E. Estroffs idé om moralisk karriär, används för att skapa en djupare förståelse av temporalitetens mening. Studien visar hur diagnosen ADHD både möjliggör och begränsar strategier för att hantera den socialt organiserade tiden. Analysen visar att acceptans snarare än självdisciplin, utgör kärnan i hållbara strategier för tidshantering. Tre mönster framträder: (1) strategier som bygger vardagen kring kroppens egna rytmer, (2) strategier som inriktas på strikt anpassning, (3), strategier som kollapsar när yttre bekräftelse uteblir. Genom dessa vardagliga praktiker utvecklar informanterna egna sätt att förhålla sig till tid, där de omförhandlar vad det innebär att vara i takt med samhället och visar att de kan levas på flera sätt än ett. Resultaten har praktisk relevans för vård, skola och arbetsliv i Sverige, genom att lyfta behovet av individanpassade och sensoriskt tillåtande miljöer. Studien är skriven på svenska.Item “Människan är ju inte immun såklart att man påverkas” En kvalitativ studie om hur unga vuxna upplever konsumtionskulturen från influencers(2025-09-08) Ottosson, Alva; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis qualitative study investigates how young adults experience and respond to consumption- culture communicated through influencers on social media. The aim is to deepen the understanding of how individuals aged 18-22 relate to digital consumer culture in a society where social media plays a central role in shaping identity and values. Through semi-structured interviews, the study explores both the experience of consumer influence and everyday forms of resistance. The data was analysed using thematic analysis to identify key patterns and recurring themes. It reveals a complex and ambivalent relationship between young adults and influencers. Participants often express a sense of fatigue and critical awareness toward consumerist messages, yet they continue to follow and engage with influencer content. This coexistence of attraction and aversion illustrates the paradox many young adults navigate in digital environments. While participants demonstrate an awareness of the negative environmental and social impacts of their consumptions, they often find it difficult to act fully in line with their values due to peer norms and social media driven trends. This results in a state of consumption ambivalence, where critical reflection exists alongside continued participation in consumer-culture. The study also shows that resistance is often subtle, showcasing in acts like unfollowing influencers, avoiding certain types of content or discussing consumption critically in private settings. By making these dynamics visible, the study offers a deeper understanding of how young adults experience consumption and resistance on social media.Item ”Jag känner mig levande när jag handlar här, mer mänsklig på något sätt” En kvalitativ studie om konsumenters uppfattningar av att handla i småskaliga livsmedelsbutiker(2025-09-08) Martufi, Nicole; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis study examines consumers' opinions about shopping in small-scale stores focusing specifically on how they perceive the store, but also their relationship to the products and whether these are organic, locally produced or in season. The study is performed through a local focus but with global perspectives such as the climate changes which the global industrial food systems are implicated in. The theoretical approach is based on Pine and Gilmore’s (1998) notion of the experience economy along with concepts such as authenticity, glocalization and food sovereignty. For the empirical data, 28 semi-structured interviews were conducted along with participating observation in some cases. The data was analyzed through a thematic analysis, which also serves as the study’s design. The main results highlight closeness and authenticity as the main reasons as to why shoppers visit the small-scale stores, in addition to the more niche variety of products they offer and, in general, more affordable prices. One of the conclusions shows that people want to shop more sustainably but are hindered to do so due to economic constraints and limited accessibility. Another conclusion concerns that in our modern, technological and standardized world, people are searching for memorable experiences while shopping for food that stimulate cozy and familiar feelings. This study identifies a clear interest in shopping in small-scale stores but also a resistance against larger commodity chains and what is considered their standardized and impersonal characteristics.Item ”Jag känner att jag inte bryr mig lika mycket längre” En kvalitativ studie av ungdomars positionering till klimatförändringar och om denna begränsar eller möjliggör deras agerande för klimatet(2025-09-08) Lönnberg, Ellie; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierClimate change must be addressed to avoid further ecological crises and to ensure a sustainable planet for future generations. However, current policies fail to meet global targets, and climate change is primarily discussed within the framework of green growth. By applying a theoretical discursive framework, the study examines how young adults conceptualize and respond to climate change, aiming to identify the environmental discourses that shape or constrain their capacity for climate action. A qualitative content analysis, combined with a theoretical framework based on John Dryzek’s detailed map of environmental discourses, has been used to systematise and analyse empirical data from interviews with young adults aged 20 to 25. The study concludes that the young adults position themselves within several different environmental discourses depending on the issue at hand, thus showing a reflexive capacity. This is further discussed as an opportunity for young adults to act on climate change.Item Funktionsnedsättningens landskap: En antropologisk studie av erfarenheter, expertis och platsens betydelse hos personer med funktionsnedsättning(2025-09-08) Said Mohammad, Laré; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierDet finns olika tolkningar och uppfattningar kring hur det är att navigera och leva med funktionsnedsättning. Samhällets norm ifrågasätter vad som egentligen anses vara det ‘normala’ medan vetenskapens norm utvecklat tydliga föreställningar kring funktionsnedsättning, liksom den medicinska konstra sociala modellen. Sedan 1960-talet har antropologi tillsammans med flera samhällsvetenskapliga discipliner studerat och bidragit till Disability Studies och främst kritiserat den medicinska modellen. Genom kvalitativa metoder som deltagande observation och intervjuer är syftet med denna studie att belysa och förhålla sig till upplevelser, uppfattningar, erfarenheter och expertis hos personer med funktionsnedsättning. Studien har genomförts på en kommunalt driven verksamhet som i denna studie kallas för Aktivitetshuset, belägen i en mellanstor stad i Sverige. Syftet är också att studera hur personer med funktionsnedsättning navigerar, handlar och skapar en betydande plats och hur normer formas och förmedlas kring funktionsnedsättning på Aktivitetshuset. Med hjälp av begrepp som performativitet, disability expertise, plats, reduktionistisk ableism och platt ontologi har studien visat att egna upplevelser och uppfattningar hos personer med funktionsnedsättning är i fokus och det inkluderar förutsättningar och begränsningar i vardagen. Erfarenheter omvandlas till förkroppsligad kunskap och tillsammans skapar personer med funktionsnedsättning en plats genomsyrad av tillhörighet och gemenskap. Dessa socialt bundna känslor grundar sig i välvilja, omtanke och omsorg men det finns tendenser till att normalisera, reducera och osynliggöra funktionsnedsättning, därför behövs ett platt ontologiskt perspektiv för att kunna sammanväva kroppsliga och sociala aspekter av funktionsnedsättning. Studien är skriven på svenska.Item Makedonskt motstånd mot bulgariska krav: En kvalitativ innehållsanalys av hur motstånd framställs och förändras i politiska uttalanden under Nordmakedoniens EU-medlemskapsprocess(2025-09-08) Cvetkovska, Andrea; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis study focuses on examining how Macedonian resistance to Bulgarian demands has been represented and changed in North Macedonia during its EU integration process. The study is conducted through a qualitative content analysis where political statements from previous and current prime ministers are analysed, more specifically during the period from 2020 until today. The qualitative content analysis is used to categorize different representations of resistance and to identify themes that appear in the political prime minister's statements. The three themes found based on the analysis are: resistance by protecting the national Macedonian identity and language, resistance through diplomacy and confrontation and resistance through constitutional revision. Using Foucault's theory of power as resistance I argue for how resistance can be presented through different discursive practices all of which establish different knowledge that legitimizes the prime minister's resistance to the Bulgarian demands. The results show that resistance was articulated diplomatically until 2024, whereas today it is represented in a confrontational manner. The results also show different resistance strategies when it comes to the theme of national identity and constitutional revision. Furthermore, the study shows that these various resistance strategies have affected the development of North Macedonia´s path to the EU, with more progress made before 2024 than today.Item Svenska civilsamhällesorganisationers arbete i Kenya under ny svensk biståndspolitik; En kvalitativ studie av problem och lösningar efter reformagendan och den nya CSO-strategin(2025-09-08) Häger Brundin, Siri; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThe purpose of this thesis is to examine the problems and solutions identified by Swedish strategic partner organizations (SPOs) to Sida, operating in Kenya in the fields of poverty reduction and global justice, in their development cooperation work. The study is based on the changes introduced by the Swedish government’s reform agenda and the new CSO strategy. It examines how these policy changes have affected the organizations’ focus and capacity to achieve their development goals, access funding, and maintain relationships with local partner organizations. The research uses a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews with representatives from three major Swedish SPOs – We Effect, ForumCiv, and Diakonia. A thematic analysis identifies the key problems and solutions within the organizations, which are then analysed through Kingdon’s Multiple Streams Framework. The findings show that the reform agenda and the new CSO strategy have caused problems regarding these organizations’ ability to reach their established development goals, long-term funding, and sustaining partnerships with local partner organizations, since their contracts with Sida have been terminated. However, the representatives reveal that their organizations have responded by developing new strategies for diversifying funding sources, enhancing communication and cooperation with local partners, and advocating for political change regarding donor requirements. The study indicates that while the new political landscape leads to significant challenges, Swedish SPOs show resilience and adaptability. The findings also show that active participation of local partner organizations and transparent collaboration are crucial for successful development cooperation.Item Access to Maternal Healthcare: A qualitative case study examining women’s access to and the barriers they face in accessing maternal healthcare in Bản Luốc Commune(2025-08-20) Kapanen, Klara; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis study explores women’s access to maternal healthcare in Bản Luốc Commune, a rural and mountainous region of northern Vietnam. Using Levesque et al.’s Conceptual Framework of Healthcare Access and applying an intersectional lens, the study examines how women perceive and experience access to maternal care during pregnancy, childbirth, and the postpartum period. Through semi-structured interviews, the study identifies persistent barriers across five dimensions of access, approachability, acceptability, availability and accommodation, affordability, and appropriateness. Findings show that although government policies and subsidies have improved access, inequalities remain. Structural and intersectional factors such as women’s ethnic identity, socioeconomic status, and remoteness continue to constrain women’s ability to fully obtain and benefit from care. The study underscores that equitable access to maternal healthcare must be understood to be limited by multifaceted dimensions of barriers throughout the healthcare system. These limitations are further reinforced by underlying power structures that uphold inequities in women’s access to maternal healthcare.Item The Missing Link: An idea analysis of Sweden’s policy on surrogate arrangements in a globalized context(2025-08-20) Heijman, Rebecca; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis study has examined Sweden’s policy and approach to surrogacy within a local and broader global context. Focusing on the impact and realisation of rights linked to the surrogate “mother” as a prominent figure in the latest SOU (2021:56) conducted on the subject of surrogacy, and the subsequent legislation. While simultaneously exploring recurring themes such as lack of international frameworks and policies, other prominent figures like the child and intended parents along with the general dissensus regarding the existence of surrogacy. The study has used a human rights-based approach, focusing on the concept of relational autonomy to explore surrounding social contexts in relation to autonomous rights. The purpose was achieved by using an idea analysis through the inclusion of Mats Lindberg’s VDP-triad, examining the chosen material from several angles. The study has found that the surrogate “mother” is impacted by Sweden’s policy on surrogacy, since Sweden allows surrogacy to take place by extension despite not being supported by current legislation. The lack of international policies and framework covering surrogacy is a prominent issue, influencing the amount of research conducted on the entire topic along with the surrogate “mother”. The conclusion of this thesis is that there is an absence of the surrogate “mother” as a figure in a Swedish context. Showcasing a missing link in regards to autonomous rights within a broader global context.Item Säkerhetiseringen av gängen: En kvalitativ idéanalys av Sveriges politik kring visitationszoner.(2025-08-19) Clark, Alice; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis study analyses how the Swedish government has portrayed, constructed and legitimised stop and search zones (visitationszoner) as an extraordinary measure as a response to gang- related crime in Sweden. By combining securitisation theory and a descriptive idea analysis this thesis analyses how governmental and political actors have framed gang violence as an existential threat to society, and by doing so, justifying the implementation of extraordinary measures that deviate from normal legal standards. The empirical material that is analysed consists of Policy documents, speeches and other official communication from the Swedish government and police between the years of 2023 and 2024. The analysis is divided into three dimensions: conceptual, problem and solution. Through these dimensions the analysis identifies how language and rhetoric shape the political discourse. Key findings demonstrate how emotionally charged terms such as “safety” (trygghet) are strategically used to invoke a sense of urgency and societal breakdown. The zones are presented as necessary solutions and not political options which illustrates a discursive shift from politicisation to securitisation. The study shows how language is used as a tool of power in democratic states and is a contribution to the understanding of how posing a question as a security issue can normalise exceptional legislation.Item Entrepreneurial Pathways in Rural Vietnam. The Case of Nam Ty commune(2025-08-19) Granillo, Klara; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis qualitative study explores how motivations and ambitions for entrepreneurship among ethnic minority women and men in rural Nam Ty, northern Vietnam, are shaped by gender dynamics and structural conditions. Using a multilevel framework: integrating the push-pull typology, micro-, meso-, and macro-levels, social capital, and feminist economic concepts of empowerment and structures of constraint, the research draws on interviews with local entrepreneurs. The thesis begins by situating rural entrepreneurship within Vietnam’s evolving economy, followed by a presentation of the theoretical framework and methodology, including thematic analysis. Findings reveal that entrepreneurship is often driven by the desire to improve economic status, especially following financial hardship. Men were frequently motivated by prior industry experience and perceived market opportunities, while women’s motives were often influenced by the need to stay close to home and fulfill domestic roles. Ambitions varied by gender and enterprise type, with women typically reliant on the local market and men expressing broader ambitions, though both faced constraints such as market saturation and limited infrastructure. These findings highlight the complex, intersecting factors shaping entrepreneurial pathways in rural Vietnam.Item ”Mäns makt över kvinnor” Kvinnor, sport och diskurser: Imane Khelif, OS 2024(2025-08-19) Persson, Moa Tove; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis paper aims to discuss what took place during the Summer Olympics of 2024. when a born-and-raised Algerian woman, Imane Khelif, found herself in the midst of a heated debate, led by several powerful actors — a debate on whether or not it was fair that “a man” was allowed to use their force and power against “real” women in sports. Khelif, a boxer, found herself in what can only be described as a gender-controversy after a win against her appointment on the 1st of August, 2024, after inquiries and scrutiny over her “real gender” came to occupy the agenda. This paper aims to discuss how the category of woman, and the norms surrounding it, is a narrow and often excluding category. What discourses can be found within the very gender that is woman? And can we find that there are norms outside of gender norms that makes the category so excluding? What can we learn about the construction of gender from applying a discourse analysis on what said about her gender between the 1st of August to the 14th of August, through posts on the social media platform X, as well as what was said in newspapers during the heat of the debate concerning Khelif’s identity?Item Homestay or Staying Home? A Qualitative Study on Women’s Participation in Homestay Tourism in Ban Luoc, Vietnam(2025-08-19) Hägg, Alva; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThe nexus between women’s empowerment and tourism has gathered wide interest from both scholars and policy-makers. This study explores the factors and conditions shaping women’s decisions in regards to homestay tourism, aiming to gain a deeper understanding of the social structures that shape women’s opportunities to participate in Ban Luoc, Vietnam. Data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and participatory observation, and analyzed using thematic analysis. The study found that women’s decisions to participate in homestay tourism were shaped by a combination of internal factors, such as self-confidence, skills, and knowledge, and external conditions such as financial support, access to training, and family dynamics. Furthermore, gendered division of labor and marriage played a significant role shaping women’s opportunities to participate in homestay tourism. This study highlights how research on women’s empowerment must address both individual abilities as well as the broader societal context as findings reveal women’s opportunities and their ability to choose were often shaped by intersecting factors and conditions.Item Handel med kvinnokroppen; Aktivism, feminism och makt. En kvalitativ studie om feministiska perspektiv och maktstrukturer inom aktivism för människohandel och prostitution.(2025-08-19) Kullgren, Sofie; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis essay uses discourse analysis to examine which feminist perspectives are expressed within Swedish activism regarding human trafficking for sexual purposes and prostitution. Using Carol Bacchi´ s What’s the problem represented to be (WPR) approach, the study analyses two activist organisations, Talita and Red Umbrella Sweden, to examine their problem representations and what underlying assumptions it is based on. The aim is to investigate how liberal and radical feminist perspectives are articulated within activism for prostitution and human trafficking, two strongly entrenched global phenomenon. The theoretical framework will additionally address concepts of power, analysing how power structures are constructed and reproduced through discourse. Power is a fundamental concern in both feminist discourse and within the debate about prostitution and human trafficking, since it both combines and sperate these perspectives. The analysis draws on Michel Foucault’s theory of power, discourse, and sexuality, as well as Pierre Bourdieu’s concept of habitus. This essay contributes to a deeper understanding of how feminist perspective challenge and reproduce power structures. The results show a strong polarization between the feminist perspectives within Swedish activism, (re)producing power structurers that shape which voices are included or excluded in the discourse.Item Ett partnerskap i skuggan av ockupation; En kritisk analys av visioner inom The EU-Moroccan Green Partnership(2025-08-19) Robertsson, Sofia; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis critical study explores varying representations of the EU–Morocco Green Partnership as articulated by three key actors: the European Union, The government of Morocco, and organizations advocating for an independent Western Sahara. Drawing on existing research on green initiatives and their colonial entanglements, the study investigates the meanings embedded within these representations. Employing a qualitative thematic analysis, the research takes as its point of departure a 2022 speech by European Commission Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans at the Green Partnership signing ceremony. Additional empirical material is drawn from Moroccan and Western Saharan sources. The analysis is grounded in the concept of Sociotechnical Imaginaries theory and Postcolonial theory, enabling a critical examination of how the Green Partnership is framed and justified. Findings indicate that EU and Moroccan narratives present renewable energy technologies as solutions to multiple intersecting crises - climate, economic, geopolitical, and humanitarian. In contrast, the Western Saharan perspective foregrounds the colonial implications of the partnership, emphasizing how it may serve to legitimize and reinforce Morocco’ s occupation of Western Sahara.Item The “road” to development; A qualitative case study of the transportation infrastructure and its impact on the equitable development in Nậm Ty commune, Vietnam(2025-08-19) Gustafson, Erica; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis study examines the transportation infrastructure and its impacts on equitable development in Nậm Ty commune located in the region of Hoàng Su Phì district, Hà Giang province in northern Vietnam. By exploring the impact transportation infrastructure has on peoples' everyday lives, the aim of the study is to understand how varying infrastructure conditions influence their mobility and accessibility. The study combines a political ecology approach with the theory of mobility justice, to explore how the transportation infrastructure in Nậm Ty commune is distributed and experienced. Using a qualitative methodology involving an deductive approach, 17 semi-structured interviews were conducted with people from the villages Nậm Ty, Nậm Piên, Tân Thượng, focusing on their subjective experiences. The results revealed that variations in the infrastructure created disparities in road conditions and access to essential services, with more remote areas like Nậm Piên facing significant barriers, while Tân Thượng benefits from better connectivity. The findings highlighted frequent occurrences of landslides, affecting the physical movement and isolating communities and that infrastructure depends heavily on the active participation and maintenance of the locals to enable mobility, underscoring the important role infrastructure has in shaping attitudes and behaviours in the community.Item I väntan på att bli en levande stadsdel; En etnografisk studie av Frihamnen(2025-08-19) Ranhagen, Klara; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThe decommissioning of centrally located port areas has become increasingly widespread throughout the Global North, driven by technological advancements and evolving logistical networks. These vacated sites often stand in contrast to their surrounding urban fabric, presenting significant challenges for redevelopment. Frihamnen, situated in Hisingen, Gothenburg, exemplifies this condition. Once a functioning port, it is now designated to become a central and inclusive urban district—the envisioned “heart” of the city. However, delays in planning have left the area in a protracted state of liminality. Characterized by derelict industrial structures, scattered construction materials, and recreational facilities, Frihamnen embodies the concept of the urban void: a transitional, ambiguous space within the urban landscape. This study examines how individuals engage with Frihamnen in its current, indeterminate condition, with particular attention to the ways in which personal memories and imagined futures inform their sensory and emotional experiences of the space. Employing methods of participant observation and interview, and guided by Sarah Pink’s theory of sensory ethnography, the research offers a counter-narrative to prevailing institutional discourses of redevelopment. By foregrounding subjective, embodied encounters, the study advocates for the integration of diverse epistemologies and methodologies in the conceptualization and transformation of urban environments, particularly those situated within contexts of spatial and temporal uncertainty. This paper will be written in Swedish.Item Tillväxt och EU:s klimatstrategi; En kritisk diskursanalys av tillväxt i EU:s klimatstrategi och dess motsättningar till nedväxtteorin(2025-08-19) Hero, Mimmi; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThrough a critical discourse analysis, this paper aims to acknowledge how growth is described within the European union's climate strategy, and what contradictions it has to the degrowth perspective. It addresses how growth is part of the capitalist system and emphasizes how the economy is prioritized within climate strategies. The research showed that growth is presented as a tool for climate transition which is managed with market-based solutions. Consequently, the EU’s climate strategy is contradictory to the theory of degrowth. The policy documents are permeated by a green growth perspective and highlight innovation, technological development, production and consumption as prerequisites for managing climate change. Furthermore, these are highlighted as sustainable and reproduce a sustainable development discourse.Item DRINKING LIKE A MAN, DECLINING LIKE A WOMAN - Gendered Drinking Practices in the Red Dao Community(2025-08-19) Hake, Tova-Li; University of Gothenburg/School of Global Studies; Göteborgs universitet/Institutionen för globala studierThis study explores how gendered expectations around alcohol, shaped by social norms and social constructions, influence drinking behaviors among the Red Dao people in Nậm Ty, Vietnam. By examining both the motivations for drinking and the contexts in which alcohol is consumed, the research explores how men and women engage with alcohol in distinct ways. Drawing on theories of social norms and social constructionism, combined with concepts of masculinity and hegemonic structures, the study highlights how societal pressures and individual agency influence drinking behaviors. The methodology includes semi-structured interviews and ethnographic observations, providing a comprehensive understanding of participants' experiences and perspectives. Data were collected from married couples aged 30– 50 and analyzed thematically to identify recurring patterns. The findings reveal that alcohol plays a central role in social gatherings and rituals, serving as a medium for hospitality, bonding, and social cohesion. While both men and women participate in drinking, men face greater social pressure to consume alcohol due to their role as breadwinners, using alcohol to maintain social networks and secure job opportunities. Women, by contrast, tend to drink in more limited and socially regulated contexts, with greater freedom to decline. These gendered patterns reflect broader societal norms and expectations, illustrating how alcohol consumption both mirrors and reinforces gender roles. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of how gender norms and cultural traditions shape alcohol-related behaviors in ethnic minority communities.